In something of a Bicycle Thieves set among the undocumented workers of East LA, Carlos (Demian Bichir, Che), a Mexican-born gardener, spends his days tending to the luxurious yards of wealthy Californians. His dream to make a better life for himself and his gang-affiliated son (Jose Julian) arrives in the form of a pickup truck, which he makes payments on in order to work as an independent contractor. But when the truck is stolen, the debt (and doubt) crushes that dream. Though he and his son have grown apart, their whirlwind trip in search of the truck brings them closer together. Like director Chris Weitz's About a Boy, A Better Life mixes potential harm with plenty of heart.

Chris Weitz---USA---2011---98 mins.

• Summit
• Release Date: 10/18/2011
• Letterboxed